Mechanics electric lamp assembly



Nov. 18, 196% J, BUDDY 3,479,500

MECHANICS ELECTRIC LAMP ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 25, 1967 United StatesPatent Office 3,479,500 Patented Nov. 18, 1969 3,479,500 MECHANICSELECTRIC LAMP ASSEMBLY James J. Duddy, 514 N. Metcalf St., Lima, Ohio45801 Filed Feb. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 617,969 Int. Cl. F211 /08 US. Cl.240-52 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanics electric lampassembly having an integral axially aligned handle and socket providedwith lug means integrally connected thereto intermediately of the endsthereof and pivotally connected to a swivel which is also pivotallyconnected to a clamp-type support and thereby permit pivoted andswiveled adjustment of an electric lamp mounted in said socket by meansof said handle while said clamp type support is attached to selectedsupporting means without danger of the operator being burned ordiscomforted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of mechanics electric lampshave been devised heretofore which hold an electric lamp bulb. Some ofthese have had handles projecting from a socket and a guard surroundingthe lamp bulb. A hook is sometimes provided to suspend the lamp but itis seldom possible to direct the light from the lamp in a desired direction. Clamps connected to lamp sockets also have been devised but todirect the lamp in a desired direction, it usually is necessary toengage the hot socket to move the lamp in a desired direction. Beingable to support a mechanics lamp from a desired and convenient supportby clamping a lamp socket thereto and being able to pivotally orswivelly move the lamp relative to said support without burning oneshands is not possible with known or existing commercial types ofmechanics lamps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The mechanics electric lamp assembly comprisingthe present invention comprises a socket to receive an electric lampbulb and has a handle integral with an projecting oppositely from theouter end of the socket to provide means by which, with comfort, thesocket may be handled. Clamp means are pivotally and swivelly connectedto the connected socket and handle by lug means on the latterintermediately of the ends thereof. The connecting means preferably areof an insulating nature. The clamp means preferably are of the springtype to position the lamp assembly readily and in a fixed positionrelative to a selected supporting means such as an automobile to shinethe light onto a desired part thereof, and many other means in variouslocations where light is desired. The connected lamp socket and handlealso preferably are molded as elongated half sections of nonmetallicmaterial and are connectable together, the socket part of said sectionsbeing hollow to receive and position a conventional electric lamp sockettherein to receive an electric lamp bulb.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanicselectric lamp assembly embodying the preferred principles of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical elevation, partly in section, of the rearwardportion of the assembly shown in FIG. 1 as seen on the line 22 of saidfigure.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the socket portion of theassembly shown in FIG. 1 as seen on the line 3-3 of said figure.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating a differentembodiment of handle and socket arrangement from that illustrated in thepreceding figure, said section being taken substantially on the line 2-2of FIG. 1 relative to such different embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the fsitructureshown in FIG. 2 as seen on the line 55 of said gure.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one half of the socket portion ofthe handle and socket member of the lamp assembly shown in FIG. 1 andillustrating in phantom the manner of positioning a conventionalelectric lamp socket therein.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a portion of thesocket part of the lamp assembly and illustrating the manner in whichthe control switch button for the bulb socket projects through thecasing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, all of thepreferred, essential components of the mechanics electric lamp assemblycomprising the present invention are illustrated. Said structurecomprises a handle 10 to which a socket portion 12 is integrallyconnected in axial alignment. In the preferred construction, saidconnected handle and socket portion comprise elongated molded halveswhich are connected together by pairs of aligned lateral ears 14adjacent the socket portion 12, for example, and apertured to receiveconnecting bolts 16. Another bolt 18 may project through the handleportion adjacent the outer end thereof. Preferably, the elongated halfsections of said connected handle and socket portion are molded fromsuitable insulating material such as certain synthetic resins and thelike which are preferably relatively rigid when cured and are capable ofwithstanding reasonable abuse during use without breakage.

The interior of the half sections of said handle and socket portionspreferably are hollow and the socket portion of said sections inparticular having constricted means 20 adjacent the outer end thereofand projecting lug or rib means 22 positioned suitably to engage therearward end of a conventional electric socket 24 of the type into whichthe socket end of an electric lamp bulb may be threaded. The constrictedmeans 20 in said socket portion is arranged to surround and engage theouter end portion of such electric socket and, in conjunction with theprojecting lug means 22 accurately positions said socket within theinterior of the socket portion 12.

The handle portion 10 also is preferably provided at least with alongitudinally extending channel in each half section for purposes ofreceiving an electric cord 26, one end of which extends into theelectric socket 24 for connection to the various terminals therein,while the opposite end of the cord 26 extends beyond the outer end ofthe handle 10 and is connectable to a source of current.

The lamp assembly comprising the present invention also includes supportmeans 28 preferably in the form of a spring clamp having similar,opposed arms 30 terminating in clamping ends 32 which are engageablewith suitable support means of various kinds adjacent which the lamp isdesired to be used, such as on various parts of automotive vehicleswhile being repaired by mechanics, and numerous other locations forvarious types of operations which require a light of the type to whichthe present invention pertains. The opposite ends of the clamping arms30 are connected by a plurality of coils 34. The connected handle andsocket portion, intermediately of the ends thereof, also is providedwith lug means 36 which extend laterally from one side thereof. As seenfrom FIG. 2, the lug means 36 are bi-partite, the same being dividedmedially and comprising two similar halves 38 respectively connectedintegrally to the longitudinal halves of the connected handle and socketportion of the lamp assembly, the same being formed incident to moldingsaid halves. The lug means 36 also are provided with a transverse hole.

The support means 28, comprising preferably the clamping arms 30 areconnected pivotally and swivelly to the connected handle and socketportion 10, 12 by means of a swivel 40 comprising relatively similarclevises 42 and 44. The base portions of said clevises have abuttingends which are preferably circular. The clevis 42 has a short circularprojection 46 thereon which is received within a complementary circularrecess in the abutting face of the base 44. The base portions of theclevises 42 and 44 also are provided with axially aligned holesreceiving a swivel pin 50.

To secure the base portions of the clevises 42 and 44 in assembled,operative relationship with respect to each other for relative pivotalmovement about the swivel pin 50, it will be seen that the base portionof clevis 42 is provided with a socket 52 in which a compression spring54 is received, one end of which abuts the head of the upper end ofswivel pin 50 as viewed in FIG. 5, and a suitable cotter pin 56, or thelike, extends through the opposite end of the pin 50. When the baseportions of the clevises and the swivel pin 50 are assembled so as toplace the spring 54 under at least light compression and the cotter pin56 has secured the assembly against separation, the pressure exertedparticularly between the projection 46 and recess 48 is such as toinsure maintenance of a desired pivotal position of one clevis relativeto the other, yet such pressure permits pivotal movement between saidclevises when desired.

The legs of the clevis 42 are spaced sufiiciently to closely receivetherebetween the lug means 36 and said legs and lug means are providedwith aligned transverse holes complementary to a pivot bolt 58 whichextends therethrough, said bolt having a nut on one end which istightened sufficiently to permit yieldable pivotal movement between thelug means 36 and clevis 42 but maintained in adjusted positiontherebetween when a desired position of the handle and socket memberwith respect to the clevis has been achieved.

The legs of the clevis 44 also are spaced sufiiciently to receivetherebetween a cylindrical plug 60 which extends through the coils 34 ofthe spring-type support means 28. The plug 60 preferably is snuglyreceived within said coils and the plug is centrally apertured toreceive a clamping bolt 62 therethrough, said clamping bolt alsoextending through aligned openings in the legs of the clevis 44. A nut64 is tightened onto the threaded end of bolt 62 sufficiently to permitlimited yieldable pivotal movement between the plug 60 and clevis 44 butalso is capable of maintaining an adjusted position once the same hasbeen reached so as to maintain the spring-type support 28 at a desiredangular relationship with respect to the swivel 30.

The clevises 42 and 44 of the swivel 40 preferably are formed by moldingthe same accurately from suitable electrical insulation material such asa number of different types of preferably rigid synthetic resins,phenol-formaldehyde condensation products being highly suitable for suchpurpose. Such material offers reasonable strength and resistance tofracture. In addition, by forming the swivel 40 from such insulatingmaterial, said swivel also is then insulated between the connectedhandle and socket 10, 12 and the clamping type support 28.

The exterior of the outer end of the socket portion 12 preferably isreduced in diameter and provides a cylindrical surface 66 which iscomplementary to the clamping band 68 connected to a combinationreflector 70 and lamp guard 72. Preferably, a rigid hook 74 is formed onthe outer end of the guard to provide auxiliary supporting means whendesired.

The electric socket 24 is of the type having an actuating knob or button76, the stem of which projects through a suitable hole 78 in one side ofthe socket portion 12, as shown in FIG. 7. Further, by engaging theconventional electric socket 24 within the socket portion 12 by means oflimited area such as the constricted means 20 and projecting lugs 22,only a limited amount of heat normally generated by the socket 24 istransmitted to the exterior of the socket portion 12. Notwithstandingthis, however, under normal conditions of operation, it is nevernecessary for the operator to engage the socket portion 12. Rather, therearwardly projecting handle 10 admirably serves to adjust the positionof the electric lamp bulb 80 so as to shine light upon a desired objectwhile the lamp assembly remains clamped by support means 28 to anysuitable supporting element adjacent where the light is needed from thelamp assembly. Universal movement of the connected handle and socket 10,12 with respect to the support means 28 is possible through the pivotalconnections of the opposite ends of the swivel 40 respectively to saidconnected handle and socket portion and said support means, while theswivel itself permits relative rotation about an axis at an angle to thepivots supported by bolts 58 and 62.

If desired, the longitudinal halves of the connected handle and socketportions 10, 12 may be so arranged that only one of them has a solid lugmember 82 thereon, as shown in FIG. 4.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its severalpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notto be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and describedsince the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scopeof the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A mechanics lamp assembly comprising in combination, an electricsocket open at one end toreceive an electric lamp bulb therein, a handleconnected to and extending substantially axially from the opposite endof said socket, an electric cord extending from said socket forconnection to a source of electric current, lug means extendingtransversely from one side of said connected electric socket and handlesubstantially intermediately between the opposite ends thereof, asupport for said lamp, and means connecting said lug means to saidsupport for adjustable positioning of said socket and handle relative tosaid support, said connecting means comprising; two similar cleviseshaving base portions in abutment, a swivel pin extending through saidbase portions and connecting the same for relative rotation about theaxis of said pin to form a swivel, the legs of one clevis receiving saidlug means on said one side of said connected handle and electric socketand a pivot pin extending transversely therethrough to pivotally connectsaid swivel thereto, means on said support extending between the legs ofsaid other clevis, and a pivot pin extending transversely therethroughto pivotally connect said support to said swivel.

2. The mechanics lamp assembly according to claim 1 in which the baseportions of said clevises respectively have complementary circularprojection and recess means interfitted to prevent relative lateralmovement therebetween and said swivel pin extending centrallytherethrough, and said assembly also including spring means surroundingsaid swivel pin and engaging the base portion of one of said clevisesand urging said base portions into frictional engagement with each othertwo maintain a desired pivotal arrangement therebetween after relativemovement about the axis of said swivel pin.

3. The mechanics lamp assembly according to claim 1 in which saidclevises are formed from non-metallic insulating material to serve as aninsulator between said connected handle and socket which is connected toone of said clevises and said support connected to the other clevis.

4. The mechanics lamp assembly according to claim 1 5 6 in which saidsupport comprises a spring clamp having 1,690,491 11/1928 Knauif240-52.1 XR a pair of arms connected by a coiled spring portion in-2,653,219 9/1953 Popp 240-54 tegral with said arms, said coiled springportion being 3,185,837 5/1965 Stern 240-52 received between the legs ofsaid other clevis and receiv- I ing said pivot pin therethrough topivotally connect said 5 NORTON ANSHER, Prlm ry EXamlIlel Spring clampto Said swivel ROBERT P. GREINER, Assistant Examiner References Cited CLUNITED STATES PATENTS 240-52.].

1,562,994 11/1925 Stewart 24052.1XR

